Health Benefits
Violets are one of natures wonders – so humble, yet makes such a majestic smell.
They have been used in various ways by people for centuries, one of the most beloved flowers, useful many things in daily life.
To read a bit more about Sweet Violet, and get ideas on how to use it, read our blog: A Self-Care Day With Sweet Violet
Now, let’s see violet’s main health benefits:
Improves Mood and Relieves Pain
Immunity and Respiratory Support
Anti-Inflammatory Pain Killer
Improves Heart Health
Skin Care and Cosmetics
Improves Mood and Relieves Pain
Sweet Violets have been used in herbal medicine to treat ailments such as depression, headaches, to ease pain and emotional upset, as well as treat insomnia.
The violet was a symbol of ancient Athens believed to strengthen and comfort the heart, moderate anger, and promote refreshing sleep.
Due to its sweet and powdery scent, this herb has been used in aromatherapy, in perfume-making throughout history, going all the way back to Classical Greece. In medieval Britain, Sweet Violets were also used to create early household deodorants. To be honest, can you imagine a more lovely perfume than violet smell?
Sweet Violets are edible, so they’re often used as a garnish and added to salads. They’re often candied and used to decorate cakes.
Immunity and Respiratory Support
Some of the early European recipes described how cough medicine was made from the blossoms of Sweet Violet.
This herb is very high in Vitamins C and A and has powerful antibacterial properties.
Both flowers and leaves of Sweet Violet have mild demulcent and expectorant properties. The Sweet Violet herb also contains phytochemicals which help thin mucous and break up chest congestion, making it easier to cough up.
Sweet Violet Leaf tea reduces pulmonary inflammation, improving the breath and easing the tedious dry cough. It’s especially helpful to people suffering from asthma since it benefits and eases respiration.
Sweet Violet is therefore used to treat a myriad of breathing problems ranging from sudden (acute) and ongoing (chronic) bronchitis, emphysema, asthma, swelling (inflammation) of the respiratory tract, “dust-damaged” lungs, cold and flu symptoms, cough, hoarseness, and chest congestion.
Anti-Inflammatory Pain Killer
With considerable amounts of rutin and salicylic acid (that have similar effects as aspirin), Sweet Violet Leaf Tea is very helpful in relieving pain, inflammation, and body aches, which makes this a wonderful herb to manage flu symptoms.
Sweet Violet is a powerful diaphoretic which promotes sweating, helping to bring down a fever.
Because of these same compounds, Sweet Violet is a pain killer effective against rheumatic pain and the pain in the joints, arthritis.
Improves Heart Health
Apart from being famous for soothing emotional heart, Sweet Violet is also good for our physical heart.
The compound found in Sweet Violet plant – bioflavonoid rutin – has been shown to help blood circulation, to strengthen and increase flexibility in blood vessels. Research also indicates that rutin can help in prevention of blood clots, which helps the heart health and lowers the chances of strokes and heart attacks.
The blood vessels are relaxed and blood tends to flow easier due to alkaloids found in Sweet Violet which have vasolidating effects. All of this is beneficial for decreasing blood pressure, which is a well known contributor to heart disease.
Skin Care and Cosmetics
Sweet Violet is an herb often used in cosmetics to make skin cleansers and perfumes. Sometimes it is applied directly to the skin to treat skin disorders and brighten the skin. Its beautiful violet flowers are often used in making eyeshadows and tinted skin lotions.